The fifth Family Fun Night of the new year took place just before the spring vacation break at the Kuss Middle School on April 12, 2017. Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard welcomed fifty-five parents and children to participate in a program that engages them in some healthy movement while learning about nutrition and a range of community resources that they can access to maintain or improve their health. Participants were offered sessions on how to cook a quick and easy healthy dinner by the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program and one on moving to music with Mike Ramos. Participants also had the opportunity to speak with representatives of 18 agencies including the  Bristol County District Attorney's Office, Bristol County Sheriff's Office, BMC HealthNet Plan, Child and Family Services, Children's Advocacy Center, Citizens for Citizens, DCF Foster Parenting, Fall River Women's Center, HealthFirst Dental Program,  Mass in Motion/Walk Fall River, New York Life Insurance, People Incorporated, Road to Healing, Saint Anne's Hospital, Samaritans, Southcoast Health, and Partners for a Healthier Community covering its Sugar-Free Challenge. Click here for a 30-minute video of the event. Click here for an earlier event at the Henry Lord Community School. For more information, contact School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard at 774-319-0107.

(Top row) Kuss Spanish Teacher Shannon Sullivan checks people in before Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard tells the families that their door prize ticket gives them a chance to win one of ten bags of groceries at the end of the evening. (Rows two and three) Sue Loughlin, Lindsey Megan and Jessica Tabaczynski of the UMass Extension Nutrition Education Program demonstrate how to make a nutritious and tasty silly fusilli chili recipe that everyone had a chance to sample. (Rows four and five) Fitness Leader Mike Ramos leads groups in a 20-minute session fun session to get people moving to music. (Row seven) Partners staff member Angie Bras talks with parents and children about cutting back on sugar-sweetened beverages and drinking whole milk. (Row eight) Children and parents visit the  Road to Healing, Mass in Motion/Walk Fall River, and the Samaritans resource tables. (Bottom row) After Jamie Jancarik of Child and Family Services talks with a parent, Kuss Parent Liaison Grace Melim who draws the winning door prize numbers, including one for sixth-grader Brianna Peinado.